


Extended Glances

by cadence_of_suffering



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bisexual Alex Standall, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, References to Catcher in the Rye (1951), University of California Berkeley, chalex - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25599766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cadence_of_suffering/pseuds/cadence_of_suffering
Summary: Alex knew Charlie stared at him when he was in the library. He had peripheral vision, for goodness sake.(Chalex college library AU)
Relationships: Alex Standall & Everyone, Charlie St. George/Alex Standall, Jessica Davis/Justin Foley
Comments: 13
Kudos: 51
Collections: Chalex Week 2020





	Extended Glances

Alex Standall loved the library. Throughout the course of his first semester at UC Berkeley, he found himself continuously seeking refuge there from the chaos of campus. Berkeley was filled with assholes. I mean, anywhere you went there were assholes but not like there were at Berkeley. Berkeley was where all the Ivy League rejects resorted to. Many had pretentious attitudes as though they were much bigger than this place. It pissed Alex off. 

Nonetheless, he had managed to make a few bearable friends who were in the LGBTQ+ support and alliance group with him: Justin Foley, Jessica Davis, and Tyler Down. The four of them sat at the same table during group sessions. From the start, their conversations flowed naturally, and they became Alex’s core friends. He hoped they would stick around for a while. And miraculously, he and his roommate Zach Dempsey became friends quickly despite their diverse interests, with Zach being a football player and Alex being, well, himself. The two of them bonded during welcome week and stuck together throughout the various freshman group activities around campus. They had each other's backs. 

Alex liked to read during his free time. He mainly read classics, and currently he was reading The Catcher in the Rye. It follows main character sixteen year old Holden Caulfield during the two days after he has been expelled from school. It describes his mental health journey and his chaotic search for clarity as he struggles to transition to the adult world. Alex was on chapter eleven out of twenty six, and he was enjoying it so far. He wished he had read it when he was sixteen. Back then, he related a lot to poor Holden: confused, cynical, and suicidal. 

It was January, and quickly, Alex learned that it was much warmer in California than it was back in the town he grew up in. Entering through the familiar library doors, Alex headed straight for his usual table in the corner: a tall round table top with two seats facing across from each other. This seat allowed him to scope out the place subtly. He always sat in the chair that allowed him a full view of the library in front of him. As he sat down, he dropped his backpack on the chair across from him and shed his green denim jacket to reveal the burnt orange flannel underneath. Before pulling out his book from his backpack, he took his regular scan over the library. 

He didn’t spot any new people today. All regulars doing what they regularly do. There was Hannah and Courtney from history giggling in the beanbag corner, Tony and Ani from sociology reviewing vocabulary flashcards near the geology stacks, and Charlie from, well, the library. Alex had never seen Charlie anywhere else on campus but here. He saw him almost every time he came. He learned the boy’s name by sneaking a picture of him one day and showing it to Justin, Jess, and Tyler when they were out on one of their ritualistic coffee gatherings together. 

“That’s Charlie St. George. He’s in plant bio with me,” beamed Justin. “He’s a really nice guy!”

And from observing him for the whole semester, Alex concluded that Charlie St. George did seem like a good guy. He always got up to help if someone dropped their books near him, and if he made eye contact with someone, he would flash them a bright wonderful smile. This naturally meant that Alex got a lot of smiles from Charlie. 

He wasn’t stupid. He knew Charlie stared at him when he was in the library. He had peripheral vision, for goodness sake. At the beginning of the year, it made him uncomfortable, so he would look back at the boy across the room to show that he had noticed. You’re busted. Game over. But Charlie didn’t get the hint and continued to sneak glances at him. Long glances. 

It had taken Alex a little while to realize it, but he liked the attention he was getting. But more importantly than that, he liked looking back at Charlie too. At least seven times within an hour they would make eye contact with each other from across the library and smile. Nothing more, nothing less. It was an unspoken thing between them. A habit they both indulged in. Alex didn’t even know if Charlie knew his name, but he didn’t really mind. Some day, St. George would have to crack and come talk to Alex, right? 

Rummaging around in his backpack, he pulled out his copy of The Catcher in the Rye and opened it where his bookmark was placed. He propped his legs up on the chair across from him and began to read. Alex was transported into the story, and the real world around him faded away as he scanned the pages. Holden is obsessing over this girl Jane Gallagher but can’t gain the courage to call her on the phone and sayー“Hello!”

Alex threw down his book and his hands flew to his face to stifle the scream that nearly erupted from his throat. 

“Hey, oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” apologized Charlie St. George as he beckoned for Alex to move his feet off of the unseated chair. Complying, Charlie smiled at him and sat down at the other side of the table facing Alex. 

Alex’s heart was racing for a couple of different reasons. Firstly, he just got scared half to death. Secondly, he got scared by Charlie. Charlie was even more good looking up close. His eyes nearly took Alex’s breath away, and his smile was somehow brighter than he originally thought. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Alex brushed off. He smiled back at the boy across from him. 

“Sorry to bother you, but I couldn’t help but notice that you’re reading The Catcher in the Rye. I really like that book! How do you like it so far?” 

“Uh, well, I’m only on chapter eleven, but I’m really enjoying it so far. I could like really relate to Holden when I was in high school,” Alex tried to respond in the most calm voice he could muster so as to not make a complete fool out of himself. He couldn’t believe this was finally happening.

“Cool! Yeah it’s a really good read. It gets better as you go,” Charlie grinned from ear to ear, and Alex couldn’t resist the smile that crept onto his own face as well. It was just contagious. Looking down at the watch on his wrist, Charlie’s grin faded slightly. “Dang, I gotta get going. I’ve got football practice in ten minutes,” Alex failed at hiding the disappointment on his face. This sweet nerdy boy plays football?? I wonder if Zach knows him. “When you get the book done, would you maybe want to have a discussion over it?” 

“Absolutely! Yeah, I’d really love that! I can get it done tomorrow if you want to meet here around the same time?” Alex loved having book discussions. 

“That’s like over 100 more pages to read tonight,” Chuckled Charlie. Alex was doing a poor job at hiding his eagerness, but he didn’t care. Charlie seemed just as excited as him. 

“Piece of cake,” Alex smirked as he held up an awkward thumbs up. Charlie hopped out of the chair, the smile reappearing on his face. 

“See you tomorrow, Alex!” Giving a shy wave, he said his farewell and turned around with a skip in his step. Somehow, he knew Alex’s name. 

Alex cooped up in the library for the rest of the day reading his book. Upon its completion, he packed up his things and made the twenty minute trek back to his dorm room. He climbed up the familiar two flights of stairsーthe only things keeping him from gaining the freshman fifteenーto get to his room and opened the door to see Zach perched on the edge of their couch playing Call of Duty. Depositing his bag at the door, he sighed and joined Zach, picking up the controller being forcefully extended to him. A few minutes into the gameplay, Zach finally broke the silence.

“So...I heard St. George and you have a little nerd date tomorrow,” he teased, jabbing his friend in the side with his elbow a couple of times. Alex rolled his eyes. 

“Why didn’t you tell me that you two knew each other?”

“You never asked.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Chalex Week 2020 day 3 ! The prompt was "alternate universe", so I created this little library college AU between our two golden boys. 
> 
> This is actually my first publication on AO3, so maybe this dip in the water is enough for me to dive into publishing some stuff here. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it !!!! <3
> 
> -Nora


End file.
